Ancestors of Mandy Willard

William BAXTER (1724-1809)

and Margaret LUFF (1733-1826)

William Baxter and Margaret Luff were married by banns on 26 November 1760 in Cocking, Sussex.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster and they were both of Cocking.  The witnesses to their marriage were Mary Twine and John Clare.  They all signed their names.  John Clare was a witness to several marriages at this time.  (They were not my direct ancestors.)

William Baxter may have been baptised on 4 April 1724 in Cocking and have been the son of Nicholas Baxter (1693-1768) and Hannah Ayling (1703-1780).  He died aged 84 years and was buried on 21 January 1809 in Cocking.  However, there was another William Baxter who was baptised on 15 August 1736 in Cocking and he was the son of Henry Baxter (1698-1766) and Constance Hall (1702-?).  William was a witness to the following marriages in Cocking:

6 December 1766 - Thomas Tipper, bachelor of Westdean and Margarett Lintott, spinster of Cocking

21 December 1780 - George Goldring a wheelwright and Sarah Wells who were both of Cocking

12 February 1783 - Edward Boniface, a labourer and Elizabeth Andrew

6 May 1783 - William Bosall of Woolavington and Ann Wiles of Cocking

17 May 1785 - Benjamin Wingham, labourer and Hannah Horton, both of Cocking

27 October 1785 - John Puss of Bepton and Eliza Robinson of Cocking

4 September 1787 - John Hackman of Hamilton, Hampshire and Elizabeth Underwood of Cocking  (Elizabeth was most probably William's niece.  Her parents were Robert Underwood and Elizabeth Baxter  and she was the younger sister of William born in 1724.)

13 October 1788 - John Brewer, bachelor and Sarah Lawrence, widow, both of Cocking

28 October 1789 - George Hopkins, bachelor of Heyshott and Ann Boxall, spinster of Cocking

26 January 1792 - John Elcome, bachelor of Graffham and Fanny Poat of Cocking

William signed his name in the marriage register when he witnessed the all the above marriages.  The other William in Cocking at the same time was unable to sign his name when he married in 1765.

Margaret Luff was baptised on 18 February 1732/3 in Cocking.  She was the daughter of Richard Luff and Alice Ewen.  She died aged 92 years and was buried on 25 November 1826 in Cocking.

William Baxter and Margaret Luff had 5 known children:

1. William Baxter was baptised on 24 November 1761 in Cocking.

   William may have married Ann Terry by banns on 9 June 1783 in Easebourne, Sussex.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster.  The witnesses were ? Hounsom and Robert Terry.

   William and Ann had 1 known son:

   1. William Baxter was baptised on 21 December 1783 in Easebourne.

      William may have married Susan and they may have had the following child:

      1. Robert Baxter was baptised on 19 September 1813 in Cocking.  His father was then a described a blacksmith.

         Robert married Mary Ann.

         When the 1851 census was recorded, the couple and their 6 children were living in Unity Cottages, Plumstead, Kent.  Robert was then a 37 year old blacksmith and Mary Ann was 32.  She gave her place of birth as Spitalfields, Middlesex.

         Robert and Mary Ann had the following known (to me) children:

         1. Robert Baxter was born about 1839 in Lambeth, Middlesex.  He as a 12 year old scholar in 1851.

         2. John William Baxter was born in the first quarter of 1843 in Lambeth.  He was an 8 year old scholar in 1851.

         3. Richard Henry Baxter was born in the first quarter of 1844 in Plumstead.  He was a 7 year old scholar in 1851.

         4. Mary Ann Baxter was born in the third quarter of 1846 in Plumstead.  She was a 4 year old scholar in 1851.

         5. Margaret Elizabeth Baxter was born in the fourth quarter of 1848 in Plumstead.  She was a 3 year old scholar in 1851.

         6. Esther Prudence Baxter was born in the fourth quarter of 1849 in Plumstead.  At the time of the 1851 census she was a year old.

2. John Baxter was baptised on 25 March 1763 in Cocking.

3. Charity Baxter was baptised on 6 January 1765 in Cocking.

   Charity married John Norrell by banns on 6 May 1794 in Midhurst, Sussex.  At the time they were both of Midhurst.

   John and Charity had 1 known daughter:

   1. Mary Ann Norrell was baptised on 15 July 1802 in Midhurst, Sussex

4. Prudence Baxter was baptised on 17 November 1766 in Cocking.  Prudence was a witness to the marriage of James Older and Ann Randall on 10 November 1789 in Chithurst, Sussex.

5. Robert Baxter was baptised on 9 December 1768 in Cocking.  Robert was a witness to the marriage of Edmund Baxter on 4 April 1796 in Cocking.

   Robert married Elizabeth Baxter by banns on 2 March 1792 in Midhurst.  He was a bachelor and she a spinster.  The witnesses were William Hoad and Elizabeth Luff.

   Elizabeth may have been born about 1770, but so far I haven't found her baptism.  Given that there were so few Baxters in the Midhurst area, I would think it possible that Elizabeth and Robert were in some way related.

   Robert and Elizabeth had 1 known son:

   1. George Baxter was baptised on 30 May 1792 in Easebourne.

    

BAXTER          LUFF